Typewriting machine



Aug. 21, 1928. 1,681,266

0. THIEME TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed July 20, 1925 /fl F/ a J. o

0 LE If 2; 59 @442 A0 ii atented Aug. 21, was.

@Tt'fi'fl THIEME, F HAETFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOl-t, BY MESNE i-XSSIGNIHENTS,

are EJLLIQTT-FISHER COIEIPANY, 03 NEW WARE.

YQRK, IN.

TYPEWRITING ELTAQHINE.

.lpplication filed July 20, 1925. Serial No. 14,681.

This invention relates to decimal-tabulating typewriting machines in which tabu lator-keys are depressible to jump a platencarriage to difierent denominational positions, the invention being particularly directed to means for facilitating the manual operation. r

In machines of this character, the pressure required for operating the tabulator-keys is usually great.

In order to overcome this difficulty, the

present invention contemplates the use of A ter that they may wide key-extensions or tabs quickly attachable to the keys of the tabulator-key-levers, enabling the typist to use more than one finger of the same hand to depress any given key. By thus enabling the typist to apply the pressure of more than one finger to a tabulator-key, the same may be operated with much greater ease than has heretofore been possible.

One of the features of the present invention is the provision of key-extensions or tabs each including a finger-piece having a Wide finger-engaging surface, thereby providing room for accommodation of more than one finger for actuation of any one of the tabulator-keys.

Another feature of the invention 18 the provision of key-extensions readily attachable to any existing machine without alterations to the machine or the use of tools, the finger-extensions being simply slipped over the keys and pressed down to home position against the upper face thereof. Another feature of the invention is' the provision of novel seating means for properly positioning the key-extensions on the ke s.

llnother feature of the invention 'is the provision of key-extensions of such characbe applied to a closely banked set of. tabulator-keys without liability of said extensions interfering with one another.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of fastening means firmly holding said extensions to the keys when in home position thereon.

Other features and advantages will here-.

portion of the mechanism or a typewriting machine including decimal-tabulating mechanism and the present invention applied to one or" the tabulator-keys.

Figure 2 is a plan View adjacent the front framework of the machine and illustrates the bank of tabulator-keys with the key-extensions or tabs attached thereto, some of the tabs being broken away in section.

Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views of the key-extensions or tabs comprising the present invention.

Referring )particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, re erence character designates generally a typewriting machine equipped with decimal-tabulating mechanism. The usual bank of type-driving keys 11 actuates escapement-mechanism 12 in the well-known manner to letter-feed a platen-carriage 13 along the rails 14.

Tabulator-key-levers 15 equipped with the usual keys 16 and 16 fixed to stems 17 and pivoted at 18, are efiective when depressedto lift plun'grs 19 individually into the path of tabulator-stops 20 carried by the carriage 13. Carriage-releasing mechanism 21, connected by a link 22 and a rocker 23 universal to the plungers 19, is operated by the latter to raise a spring-pressed carriage-rack 24 outof 'mesh with an escapement-pinion 25 when the tabulator-key-levers 15 are actuated, thereby jumping the carriage to a given denominational position along the rails 14. The foregoing description is of mechanism well known in the art and is given here simply for the purpose of making clear the manner in which the present invention now to be described is applied to a given machine.

It is usual in machines equipped with decimal-tabulating mechanism to arrange the tabulator-keys in a closely-banked line at the front of the-typewriter-frame 26, as indicated in Figure 2, the keys being preferably operated by the index-finger' of the right or left hand. Any attempt to bring more than one finger to depress it is liable to interfere with adjacent keys and, in any event, may result in awkward operation of the machine. It will be seen that the key-extensions or tabs enable any selected key to be easily operated by more than one finger without interference with the adjacent keys,

to bear agamst the key action of the sleeve In Figure 3 of the drawings. there is illustrated a key-extension or tab 27 formed with a sleeve .28 having vertical slots 29, the sleeve 28 being of a size to fit snugly over the key 16 of one of the key-levers l5 and pushed downwardly on said key, the resilient 28 is due to the slots 29 causing said sleeve to expand and closely bug or grip the key and thereby firmly retain said sleeve 28 in position thereon. To determine the position of the sleeve 28 on the key 16, there is provided a seat which may be in the form of pins 30 projecting inwardly from the inner wall 31 ofthe sleeve .28. After the sleeve 28 has been pushed down upon the key 16 sufficiently to bring the pins 30 into engagement with the face of the key, the extension 27 is then in home position on the key-lever 15. For imparting motion to the sleeve 28 to actuate a key-lever 15, there is provided a fingerpiece or finger-bar 33 mounted upon an extension 34 rising from the sleeve 28. The finger-piece 33 may be reinforced by a. bridge or cross-piece 35 and all of the parts brazed or otherwise fastened together. A key-extension of the foregoing character is attached to each alternate key 16 of the aligned bank of keys appearing in Figure 2 and usually begins with an outer key of the bank. Thev finger-piece 33 preferably takes the form of an elongated concave strip having the ends thereof rounded as indicated at 36, the length of the strip accommodating two or three fingers of the hand, thereby permitting sufficient pressure to be applied to the key 16 to readily operate the same with little effort. Due to the fact that the finger-pieces 33 overlie portions of alternate keys, it has been found desirable to dispose the finger-pieces of said alternate keys on a plane beneath the finger-pieces 33.

In Figure 4 there is illustrated a fingerextcnsion or tab 37 somewhat similar to that. described in connection with Figure 3, and which includes a sleeve 38, having slots 39. A concave finger-piece or finger-bar 40 is attached to the upper edge 41 of the sleeve 38 and a bridge or cross-piece 42 provides a seat for positioning the sleeve 38 upon alternate keys 16. The finger-pieces 40 may be rounded as indicated at 43 and extend outward beyond the finger-pieces 33 as disclosed in Figure 2, thereby providing clearance for the fingers of the typist.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that, due to the extensions 34, the finger-pieces 33 are on a plane suliiciently above the fingerpieces 40 to preclude interference with one another. If desirable the key-tabs 27 and 37 may be readily removed from their respective keys 1G and 16' by simply pulling said tabs upwardly against the gripping action of the resilient sleeves. The key-tabs 27 and esaaee 37 permit clear vision of the usual denominational designations carried by the keys.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An attachable extension for a character-key including a sleeve and a finger-bar, said sleeve provided witha semi-circular head to partially cover the key to expose the character thereof and provide a support to elevate and suspend the finger-bar in front of the key.

2. The combination with a key having a visible'designation, of a key-extension including a sleeve and a finger-bar, said sleeve being attached to the key, said finger-bar being supported by the sleeve above the key without covering the keys designation and projecting at either side of the key to increase the finger-engaging surface for actuating the key.

3. The combination with a row of closelybanked keys, of a key-extension carried by each key, each extension provided with a wide finger-engaging portion to accommodate more than one finger for actuating each key without actuating adjoining keys, the finger-engaging portions being elevated in staggered relation to clear adjoining keys when depressed.

4. The combination with a row of aligned keys, of a key-extension carried by each key, each extension having a wide finger-engaging portion to accommodate more than one finger for actuating the key, said extensions being arranged in two rows above the keys the extensions in one row alternating with and partially overhanging the extensions in the other row.

5. The combination with a series of aligned keys, of a key-extension for each key, each extension including a sleeve and a finger-bar. said sleeves being attached to said keys, said finger-bars being supported by said sleeves, alternate finger-bars being elevated by the sleeves above the finger-bars of adjoining keys, and said adjoining keys having finger-bars extending forwardly of the elevated finger-bars.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a tabulating mechanism including keys to release and arrest the carriage atdenominational positions through the dcpression of said keys, the latter being aligned in a closely-grouped row, of extensions attached to saidkeys that are disposed as a series in two tiers and each tier including alternate connections.

7. In a typewriting machine, the eomhination with a tabulating mechanism including keys to release and arrest the carriage at denominational positions through the dc pression of said keys, said keys arranged in a single row, of operating extensions attached to said keys and forming two rows, the extensions in one row alternating with 5 the extensions in the other row.

- 8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a tabulating mechanism including keys arranged in a single row and in denominational order, of upwardly and for- 10 wardly projecting key-extensions arranged in staggered relation to form two parallel other row.

9. The. combination with a series of tabulator-levers having keys in a row, of a. series of key-extensions about coextensive in width with the row of keys, said extensions being divided into forward and rear rows, the extensions being staggered and each extenssion being of double width, to be operable by adjoining fingers simultaneousl OTTO T IEME.

rows, one row above and overhanging the 

